Piling construction.



E. BIGNELL.

FILING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JULY s1, 1911.

IIIIIIIIII Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

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EDWARD BIGNELL, OF LINCGLN, NEBRASKA.

PILING CONSTRUCTION.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

' Patented Apnea, 1912.

Application :tiled July 31, 1911. Serial 110,641,608.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD BIGNELL, a

-citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county ofLancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Piling Construct-ion, of which the following is aspecification. l

This invention relates toimprovements in concrete piling, and has forits object to provide piles constructed of cement or con-A crete, eachbeing formed to provide a carrier of water under pressure, the movingwater and weight of the pile tending to form an excavation, and theWater operating as 'a lubricant to reduce friction and prevent adhesionvof soil to the surface while the pile sinks or is being driven into theground.

The invention broadly includes a pile formed with a main channel oraperture through its longitudinal middle, this aperture havingtransverse branches opening upon the sides of the pile. It also hasreference to certain devices useful in connection therewith tofacilitate the sinking or lowering of the pile and for reinforcing theconcrete structure.

With these objects in view the invention presentsa novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts as described herein and claimed,and as illustrated in the drawing, itbeing understood that changes -inform, size, proportion and minor details may be made within the scope ofthe claims without departing from the spirit of the invent-ion orsacrificing any of its advantages.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of acement or concrete pile illustrating one embodiment of my invention.Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line a a of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and4 are enlarged detail views relating to Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top planview of the drill-head, as on line b b of Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a sideelevation, partly in section of a pile, being a modified form, of andbelieved to be within the scope of the invention. Fig. 7 is a transversesection taken on line c c of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of thepile shown 4in Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description, theimproved pile con-v sists principally of an elongated standard,

stem or body 7 of cement or other similar having branches 11 securedthereto and projecting adhesive material, preferably .formed rectangularin cross section with a longitudinal aperture 8, and with numero-ustransverse branches or secondary apertures 9 opening upon the mainaperture 8 and upon the sides of the stem.

In order to reinforce the cement body of the pile or stem, a pipe 10 maybe employed comparatively short pipes or transversely therefrom, pipe 10being disposed in the main aperture lSfof tbe pile with its branchesseated in the. secondary apertures 9. An aperture 12 may be formedtransversely near the upper endpfthe pile to open upon the main aperture8, and a conducting pipe 13 may be seated therein, said pipe beingconnected with pipe l 10 and preferably being provided with acontrolling valve 14; and water under pressure from any suitable sourceof supply may be introduced or passed through pipe 13 within pipe 10,and will pass out of the branches 11, the force of the flow of waterbein-g subject to the control of valve 14.

The construction thus far described 2` soft ground or in the sand barsor alluvial deposits of streams where they are frequently employed.Since, by this construc-v tion, a discharge is provided at `the.bottomof the pile, water under pressure will cause an excavation to be made atand below the end of the pile. On account of the weight of the pile itwill readily sink into'the excavation thus formed; and the water whichpasses out of the secondary pipes or branches 11 will cause a removal ofthe soil from the sides of the pile, adhesion of the soil beingprevented. As the pile gradually sinks into the excavation thus formed,the water discharged from the end of the pile together with the sand andgravel will move upwardly at the sides of the pile. The construction isof great advantage as compared with ordinary concrete piling for thereason that it may fre uently be sunk without the use of a pile driverwhich often causes breakage of the pile from vibration. Also, itoccasionally occurs that piles have to be removed after they have beenplaced in the ground. On account of suction, and by reason of theadhering soil, the removal of consocket 19.

crete piling has been almost impossible and not practicable. Theconstruction of the pile as above described, however, is such that itmay be removed, for the reason that water, when forced to points belowthe bottom and at the sides of the pile, operates as a lubricant toremove adhesions.

In order that the pile may be lowered or sunk in hard soil a tubularshaft 15 may be provided and disposed within pipe 10 to project belowthe lower end of the pile, its lower terminal being removably mountedupon the downwardly tapered drill-head 16. Any suitable arrangement ofdevices may be provided for causing a rotation of the tubular shaft sothat the drill-head will form an excavation below the. pile, and meanswill now be described for this purpose. At 17 a wheel is indicated, saidwheel being keyed upon the shaft and to be actuated by any suitablepower to rotate the shaft. The upper end of the cdhcrete stem or pilemay be provided with the supporting head or plate 18 having a depressedpart at its middle to form the recess or The tubular shaft may have acollar 2() for a seating in this recess, whereby the weight of the shaftwill be supported upon the pile.

The drill-head is preferably formed as a hollow cone-shaped member, of adiameter somewhat greater than the thickness of the pile, and having atits middle a longitudinalpipe-member 21, and its downwardly convergentwall may be formed with numerous perforations 22. A discharge portwithin the drill-head is indicated at 23, the same being formed in pipe21 and a second discharge port 23 is indicated at the terminal of thedrill, this being the open end of pipe 21; and the drill-head ispreferably provided with ridges or tins 24. Since a considerable weightmust be sustained by the drill-head, and to the end that the tubularshaft may be removed after the pile has been placed in the ground, abearing-head 25 is provided which projects below the concrete body ofthe pile to support the drill-head. The bearing-head may be providedwith a mounting in the lower end of the concrete ile at the time thepile is molded, and may e formed with the annular flange 26; and thedrill may have flanges 27 mounted thereon to overlap and engage flange26. The pipe 21 may have a square recess or socket 28 at its upper end,the lower end of pipe 15 having square walls .29 for engagement with thewalls of recess 28, and when these part; are in engagement and shaft 15is rofated, the shaft will cause the rotation of the drill-head, andwhen desired, the shaft may be removed from its mounting and disengagedfrom the drill-head.

Any suitable means may be provided to cause water, under pressure, topass downward throu h the rotatable wheel, pipe 15 and the dri l-head,from a stationary supply pipe 30, the means herein shown being t-heus'ual apertured ball Bl'rigidly mounted upon pipe 30, and seated inlatform 32 secured to wheel 17, by use o which a communication isprovided between supply pipe 'pressure under control of .valve 33 may bevaried.

At 34 is indicated a packing box of usual construction mounted upon capor head 18, within which the tubular shaft may rotate; it is hereemployed to prevent leakage from the upper end of pipe 10. Thatpart-,ofthe drill-head known as pipe 21 may be considered as acontinuation of pipe 15 since they are connected and cooperate as acarrier of water.

In operation, water under pressure will move through apertures 22 of thedrillhead as well as through the lower openings of pipe 21; the fins 24of the drill-head tend to loosen the soil, and, by reason of theconstruction as described, the pile may generally be loweredinto theground without the use ofa pile-driver.

By reason of the construction it will be noted that after the pile hasbeen sunk, pipe 15 and the several devices upon the upper end of thepile may be conveniently removed; and this is a desirable feature, tothe end that pipe 10 and-its branches may then be filled with cementvtoform ra complete, reinforced pile.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illust-rate a modified form of the invention, whereinthe elongated concrete standard or stem 7 is not reinforced; and nodrill, and only one control for water ressure is provided, but in otherrespects 1t is substantially the same as already described. The concretestem 7 is provided with a longitudinal aperture 8 with transverseapertures or branches 9 opening upon aperture 8 and upon the sides ofthe stem; and it has a tapered low'er terminal 16', and a discharge portfor the longitudinal aperture opening upon the tapered terminal. Alsoit,has a conducting pipe 13 communicating with aperture 8, sald pipehaving a controlling valve 14. In operation, water under pressure may bedischarged throu h the lower end of aperture 8 or through t e transverseapertures 9 for the purposes already described in connection with pipe--10 andthe transverse pipes 11 shown in Fig. 1.

While the number of parts employed in the modified structure are lessthan those illustrated in Fig. 1, they are substantially identical sofar as used, and themodified form is considered to be clearly within thescope of the invention. A

Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is,-

l. An improvement in piling comprising an elongated upright stem ofadhesive material having an outwardly tapered member mounted -upon itslower terminal and formed with a longitudinal aperture with transversebranch apertures opening upon its sides; a main tubular member seated inand extending the entire length of the longitudinal aperture; secondarytubes disposed in the branch apertures communicating with the maintubular member; and a member communicating with and adapted to convey asupply of water to said main tubular member near the upper terminal of lsaid main tubular member.'

' longitudinally therein,

2. An improvement in piling comprising an upright elongated body ofadhesive ma.- terial with a main tubular member disposed secondary tubesopening at longitudinal intervals of and upon the sides of saidelongated body in communication with said main tubular member; a membercommunicating with and adapted to convey a supply of water to said maintubular member; a rotatable tubular shaft disposed in said main tubularmember and provided with a perforated drill-head; and a tubular memberfor conducting water in communication with the upper part of saidrotatable, tubular shaft.

3. An improvement in iling comprising an upright, elongated bo providedwith a longitudinal aperture an with transverse apertures opening uponthe longitudinal aperture and upon the sides of the elongated body, aconducting pipe mounted upon the elongated body and in communicationwith the longitudinal aperture thereof; a tubular rotatable shaftdisposed .within said longitudinal aperture; a coneshaped drill-headdisposed below and supported by the elongated body, said drillhead beingcoupled with and provided with a discharge pipe in communication withsaid tubular shaft. v

vet. A pile provided with a `central longitube with transverse branchesfor conveying water to be discharged at'longitudinal intervals outwardlyof its sides; an apertured drill-head disposed below and supported bythe pile;`and a rotatable shaft disposed in the tube and mounted uponthe `dri1l-head,said shaft being tubular to convey water to saidapertured drill-head.

6; A pile provided. with a longitudinal tube with transverse branchesfor conveying-water to be discharged at longitudinal intervals outwardlyot its sides; a hollow,

cone-shaped drill-head disposed below and supported by the pile, saiddrill-head having apertures formed in its tapered "wall and providedwith a central, apertured discharge' pipe; a rotatable tubular shaftdisposed in the longitudinal tube of t-he pile to form a'water conduitin communication with the discharge pipe of the drill-head.

7. A pile provided with a cent-ral, lon itudinal tube with transversebranches or conveying water to be discharged outwardly of its sides; adrill-head disposed outwardly of one .of the terminals and supported bythe pile; and a rotatable 'shaft disposed in said tube and removablylmount-- ed upon said drill-head.

8. A pile having a body-portion formed of adhesive material with alongitudinal tube disposed therein having transverse branches forconducting water; a coneshaped drill-head disposed at one terminal andsupported by said body-portion, .said drill-head being provided with a'discharge pipe; a driving-wheel; a tubular shaft Vdisposed in said tubeand mounted at one of its terminals upon said wheel, said tubular EDWARDBIGNELL.

Witnesses w. G. s coox, J. M. SAN'roN.

